Confocal Microscopic Findings of Corneal Tissue in Fuchs' Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy.

Park, Young Min; Choi, Beom Seok; Lee, Jong Soo

doi:2013.54.9.1435

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > Volume 54(9); 2013 > Article

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2013;54(9):1435-1439.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.9.1435 Published online September 15, 2013.

Confocal Microscopic Findings of Corneal Tissue in Fuchs' Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy.

Young Min Park, Beom Seok Choi, Jong Soo Lee

Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea. jongsool@pusan.ac.kr

공초점주사현미경에 의한 푹스각막이상증의 각막조직소견

박영민⋅최범석⋅이종수

Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea

Abstract

PURPOSE
To analyze the morphology and density of corneal tissue in patients with early stage Fuchs' corneal endothelial dystrophy (FCED) by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). CASE SUMMARY: Each layer of the cornea in 2 patients with early-stage FCED was examined with IVCM (ConfoScan 4.0, NIDEK, Co. Ltd., albignasego, Italy). Cross-sectioned corneal images of the corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer, stromal layer, Descemet's membrane, and endothelium were evaluated. Corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer, and anterior stroma of both patients showed no abnormalities. Case 1 was diagnosed as Stage 1 FCED, demonstrating typical changes including pleomorphism, polymegathism, and the presence of guttae in the corneal endothelial layer. Case 2 was diagnosed as Stage 2 FCED, showing several hyper-reflective whitish dots in the posterior stroma, hypo-reflective vertical strands in the stroma adjacent to Descemet's membrane, and pleomorphism, polymegathism, and guttae in the corneal endothelial layer. CONCLUSIONS: IVCM is a non-invasive and effective tool to diagnose early-stage FCED.

Key Words: Confocal microscopy;Fuchs' corneal endothelial dystrophy